New adventure brings director back to local Jewish film fest

Yonatan Nir, an Israeli documentary filmmaker and producer, says making movies is an education unto itself.

“Every film that I make is a window to a new world,” says Nir. “For me, the camera is a way to communicate, to learn more about the world and to experience it in a more intense way.”

His latest production, “My Hero Brother,” follows a group of young adults living with Down syndrome who take on the daunting task of hiking the Himalaya Mountains in northern India with their siblings. Nir told the AJP spending time with people who are so openly affectionate, and live with such childlike wonder, is very affecting.

“I think there is something very special that happens to you when you spend time with people with Down syndrome,” says Nir. “Because these people are very open, they have no filters, they show so much love and compassion [for] others and they live in the moment.”